Category: Estate Planning
“By being very selective about who receives which type of money—whether Traditional or Roth IRAs, after-tax brokerage accounts, life insurance, etc.—you can dramatically cut the share that goes to the IRS and increase the amount going to your family.” Not keeping a close eye on tax implications often costs families tens of thousands of dollars […]
“All you have to do is type ‘maximize Social Security’ into Google or any other search engine and you will get hundreds, if not thousands, of hits.” The desire to get the largest possible benefits from Social Security is a relatively new phenomenon. For decades, people received their monthly benefit check and that was it. […]
“The unprecedented quarantines to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus have made many seniors more vulnerable to financial exploitation.” Social isolation, whether because of a pandemic or because an elderly person is alone, is a leading factor contributing to the financial exploitation of seniors. The necessity of quarantining for older adults because of […]
“Some people are concerned that the new conservative 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court will roll back protections for non-traditional families. Regardless of the decisions at the Supreme Court, or the impact on the state family courts, there are many ways that non-traditional families can maintain control.” Today’s non-traditional family are not just LGBTQ couples, […]
“If you’re helping an aging parent navigate Medicaid because they don’t have long-term care insurance or you think you’ll need it yourself someday, it’s important to understand how the program works.” Medicaid is a government program used by Americans to pay for nursing home and long-term care. The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) is used […]
“By definition, a Will accounts for a person’s wishes of how their assets and estate should be distributed and handled once they die. It spells out who should get what and who should do what, after the benefactor’s demise.” A last will and testament is used to point out the beneficiaries and trustees and the […]
“Beneficiary designations, tying up loose ends, reporting last wishes—here’s what you can do now.” The COVID pandemic has become a painful lesson in how important it is to having estate plans in order, especially when a spouse becomes sick, incapacitated, or dies unexpectedly. With more than 400,000 Americans dead from the coronavirus, not every one […]
“When these types of situations arise, there are many steps you can take to avoid your will from being contested by individuals who believe they are entitled to receive your assets.” Disinheriting a child or any person trying to gain access to your assets after you have died requires skilled estate planning. The things that […]
“If the durable power of attorney can’t be transferred, what needs to be done to establish a new durable power of attorney for my aunt despite her mental incapacity?” The situation facing one family is all too common. An aunt is now incapacitated with severe Alzheimer’s disease. Her brother has been her agent with a […]
“Many timeshare contracts include a perpetuity clause, which means the contract and all its fees and obligations are yours for life. It may not end there.” Ask anyone who ever purchased a timeshare and changed their mind about it. Getting rid of a timeshare can be problematic. However, imagine if your parents purchased a timeshare […]
